In order to create golf clubs that help the golfer achieve a better score, golf club designers have made numerous technological advancements in creating a golf club that is easier to hit. Technological advances such as metalwood drivers, cavity back irons, and even graphite shafts throughout the years have all made the game of golf much easier for your average golfer in helping them hit the golf ball longer and straighter. However, despite all the technical advancements in the game of golf, the biggest variation in a golf swing is often the golfer itself. In fact, a golf swing is so unique to each individual golfer, it can be argued that no two golfers may have identical golf swings.
In order to address the often diverging needs of the different swings associated with different golfers, golf club designers make different models of golf clubs that have different performance characteristics to help golfers get more performance out of their particular golf swing. More specifically, golf club designers often create different models of golf club heads having different size, shape, and geometry, allowing various golfers to select from the model that suits their game the most. Similarly, golf shaft designers often create different models of golf shafts having different weight, flex, and materials to provide the golfer even more extensive variety to truly allow a golfer to select what works best for his or her golf swing.
With respect to golf club shafts, the general trend, based on the preference of the golfers, is that golfers with higher swing speeds, due to their increased strength, better technique, and/or quick velocity, tend to prefer a stiffer shaft that is heavier in weight. Alternatively, golfers with slower swing speeds, due to their lack of strength, poor technique, and/or slower velocity, tends to gravitate towards weaker shafts that is lighter in weight.
Despite the general preferences of the groups of golfers, the laws of physics still governs the golf swing, meaning that a lighter shaft with a lighter overall weight, should, in theory, be able to be swung faster than a heavier shaft with more overall weight. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0138000 to Braly et al. confirms this phenomenon by first recognizing that an ideal golf club shaft should be minimal in weight, creating a unique lightweight and durable golf club shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,676 to Bird also affirms the general understanding about weighting of a golf club shaft, and teaches a lightweight shaft using non-metallic composite materials of a given density including graphite fibers and cured epoxy resin.
The problem with lightweight shafts is that the advantage in creating more golf club head speed from the weight reduction is often offset, if not completely negated by the loss in accuracy and feel of the golf club. Hence, despite the apparent advantage of a lightweight shaft, the better golfers with higher swing speeds are not capable of taking advantage of this increased clubhead speed due to the dramatic lost in feel and accuracy when a strong golfer swings a lightweight shaft. Correlatively, weaker golfers with slower swing who already swing a lightweight shaft, can also benefit from a further reduction in the weight of the shaft; if there was a way for them to minimize the adverse effect of lost in feel and accuracy.
Hence, it can be seen that there is a need in the field for a golf club that can take advantage of a lightweight shaft without sacrificing feel, accuracy, and dispersion. In order to achieve this, the current invention seeks to manipulate the weight removed from the shaft portion of the golf club and reposition it near the grip end of the golf club to achieve a relationship that doesn't jeopardize the feel, accuracy, and dispersion of the golf shot.